Every Voice Counts - A Podcast by Senator Mobina

Je crois fermement qu'un projet de loi dans lequel on reconnaît publiquement toutes les langues maternelles et on s'engage à les protéger peut être une stratégie pour aborder et corriger des décennies de gestes honteux commis à l'endroit des Premières Nations, des Métis, des Inuits et des Autochtones non inscrits. Les répercussions négatives de ces gestes se manifestent clairement dans la perte de la culture et de la langue maternelle. À l'heure actuelle, aucune loi ne protège ni ne promeut explicitement les langues maternelles, hormis nos langues officielles, l'anglais et le français. Sans une loi qui reconnaît et célèbre officiellement les langues maternelles de toutes les cultures et origines, on ne peut pas véritablement protéger les langues traditionnelles.

I strongly believe that a bill openly acknowledging and committing to protect all mother languages is one strategy to addressing and rectifying decades of shameful acts committed against First Nations, Inuit, Métis and non-status Indigenous peoples, the detrimental impacts of which are so clearly manifest in a loss of cultural connection and native language. The fact is, currently, there is no legislation which explicitly protects or promotes any native languages, apart from our official ones, English and French. Without any bill explicitly recognizing and celebrating the mother languages of all cultures and heritage, there is no real protection of any traditional language.

Striking a balance between maintaining border security and protecting individual privacy rights - how far is too far? Listen to my conversation with legal expert Lex Gill where we discuss Bill S-7 and the potential consequences of expanding the search of personal digital devices in an effort to increase border security.

En novembre dernier, au début de la 44e législature, j'ai réintroduit le projet de loi S-214, Loi instituant la Journée internationale de la langue maternelle. Deux semaines plus tard, le 9 décembre 2021, le projet de loi a été adopté de façon unanime par le Sénat et a été envoyé à la Chambre des communes. J'ai bon espoir que cette fois-ci mon projet recevra la Sanction royale et que le 21 février sera reconnu officiellement comme Journée internationale de la langue maternelle au Canada.

This past November, at the beginning of the 44th Parliament, I reintroduced it as Bill S-214, An Act to establish International Mother Language Day. Just over 2 weeks later, on December 9, 2021, the bill was adopted unanimously by the Senate and sent to the House of Commons. I am hopeful that this time around my bill will receive Royal Assent, and that February 21st will be officially recognized as International Mother Language Day in Canada.

My good friend and colleague Senator Kim Pate is a nationally renowned advocate who has spent nearly 40 years working in and around the legal and penal systems of Canada, with and on behalf of some of the most marginalized, victimized, criminalized and institutionalized — particularly imprisoned youth, men and women. Following a recent tour together into several prisons across Canada, I had the change to sit down with Senator Pate to find out more about her upbringing, her drive for prisoner justice, and her journey to the Senate of Canada.

I recently had the unique opportunity to visit three federal prisons in British Columbia, accompanied by lifelong prisoner rights advocate and my friend, Senator Kim Pate. Our third and final visit was to Kent Institution, the only federal maximum-security prison for men in the Pacific Region. When we arrived, we were met by the senior staff at the prison who informed us that out of 240 men inside, 88 (about 1/3) are Indigenous, 22 are Black. We also learned that some prisoners feel the prison has created a racist and toxic environment. This is another reminder of the racism and discrimination that happens behind prison walls every day.

I recently had the unique opportunity to visit three federal prisons in British Columbia, accompanied by lifelong prisoner rights advocate and my friend, Senator Kim Pate. Our second visit was to Fraser Valley Institution, a multi-level (minimum, medium and maximum) security prison for women located in Abbotsford. We first met with the staff, inside the prison's gymnasium. We were told that 61% of all prisoners and 89% of those classified as maximum security are Indigenous women. This is yet another example of the over-representation of Indigenous Peoples, in particular of women, in Canadian prisons.

I recently had the unique opportunity to visit three federal prisons in British Columbia, accompanied by lifelong prisoner rights advocate and my friend, Senator Kim Pate. Our first visit was to William Head Institution, a minimum-security prison for men located just outside of Victoria. When I arrived at the prison, I felt it looked much different than what I had pictured. Throughout the prison there were very few walls, minimal barbed wire fencing and I did not see many uniformed guards. Instead, I saw communities of houses where the men cook and clean for themselves.

Depuis 153 ans, le 1er juillet est réservé aux célébrations de la fête du Canada. Cependant, ce 1er juillet était très différent de tous ceux qui l'ont précédé et, espérons-le, il jettera les bases de toutes les célébrations futures. Le fait est que pour de nombreuses personnes, la fête du Canada n'a jamais été un jour de célébration. Il s'agit plutôt d'un rappel du fait que le Canada se trouve toujours sur le territoire non cédé des peuples autochtones.

For 153 years, July 1st has been reserved for Canada Day celebrations. However, this July 1st was very different than all that have come before it and will hopefully lay the foundation for all future celebrations. The fact is, that for many people, Canada Day has never been a day for celebration. Rather it has been a reminder of the fact that Canada remains on the unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Indigenous peoples.

Projet de loi C-6, Loi modifiant le Code criminel (thérapie de conversion) vient d'être envoyé au Comité sénatorial permanent des affaires juridiques et constitutionnelles. Alors que ce débat se poursuit à travers le Canada, je me rappelle pourquoi le travail d'un législateur est si important. Nous devons écouter toutes les voix qui s'expriment, nous devons ensuite écouter tous les experts dont les points de vue sont opposés et enfin, nous devons arriver à notre propre conclusion sur ce que nous croyons être la bonne réponse.

Bill C-6, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (conversion therapy) has just been sent to the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs. As this debate continues across Canada, I am reminded why the job of a legislator is so vitally important. We have to listen to all the voices that are speaking, we then have to listen to all the experts whose views are on opposing sides and finally, we have to come to our own conclusion on what we believe is the right answer.

How can legislators and parliamentarians make informed decisions while also ensuring that correct and meaningful policies are being put in place, without any data? How do we even begin to solve our problems and prevent them from festering, without any information? Recently, I successfully moved an amendment to Bill C-7 - Medical Assistance in Dying, that will extend the powers of Health Canada to allow for the collection of race-based data to be systematically collected on a national level. The amendment also called for the data to be used to identify race-based inequities and how race intersects with other forms of systemic inequality in medical assistance in dying.

As we conclude this series and look forward to upcoming changes across every level of our government and within every aspect of our collective Canadian society, I am hopeful that real and tangible progress will be seen. In the midst of this time of heightened awareness and concern for racialized people and a renewed commitment to eradicate racism, in all of its forms, it is critical that we continue to educate ourselves and one another.

One of the biggest barriers to racialized people in Canada being able to access critical resources, such as employment, housing, and education, is that their political and governmental representatives do not necessarily understand, thus they cannot meaningfully address the systemic and institutional obstacles they face. Canada prides itself on being a multicultural nation that welcomes people from all across the world who proudly call this country their home. This emphasis on diversity and open inclusion, cannot simply be a national or global slogan.

Across our country, people of all races are sitting in prison cells. How and why did they get end up here? The fact, virtually every person has done something for which they could be criminalized. However, when a person's race, gender and class impact their chances of being caught in the large net of criminalization and ultimately, institutionalization, then justice is not served.

Racialized children face many issues at school. Whether they are forced to go to underfunded schools because of where they live, or they suffer from being marginalized and excluded by their teachers. Many students of colour are also subjected to bullying and harassment from their colleagues. They are often over-represented in expulsion and academic streaming. All these factors affect their chances of going to university and getting a higher education. Thus, affecting their future and careers. 

Research from Canada's largest cities suggests that visible minority groups are at a disadvantage in both the rental and homeownership markets. Over 50% of people and families of colour in Canada live in homes which are inadequate. It is also common to find neighbourhoods where only people of colour live. This segregation is forced upon them, and it gives way to another form of discrimination based on their address. Can you imagine being discriminated against because of your address, because of your postal code?  

Getting a job is the first block in building a life for a family, but merely having a name that signals a non-white person can be an obstacle. Imagine if your name is reason for being unemployed, or your skin colour is reason for being marginalized at your workplace and never advancing. This episode will delve into the matter of Race and Employment in Canada.

As we have seen, across the world, countries and their populations are openly and critically engaging in dialogues that aim to understand what social and intuitional behaviours reflect systemic racism. it is crucial that we understand what Systemic Racism is, for in order to work towards the eradication of an institutionally engrained behaviour, we first need to define it.

Systemic Racism is an issue that hits home for me every time it is raised. As a racialized person in Canada, I have been subject to, and have witnessed, what it means to have the “wrong” skin colour and accent despite my access to a good education and my subsequent career. The truth about racism in Canada, that is long known for racialized Canadians, has now been widely acknowledged and it is time for us to work on implementing long-tern strategies to eradicate all forms of racism. In a series of podcasts, we will explore how systemic racism works and how it affects many Canadians.

I often enjoy reminiscing with other Ugandan Refugees about their journeys to Canada, as each of our stories are unique and deeply personal. Several months ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Author Anar Ali who has written the novel “Night of Power” which tells the story of a Muslim family that has lived in Canada ever since dictator Idi Amin expelled South Asians from Uganda.   Night of Power is a heart-wrenching story of a family in crisis. Gripping and unforgettable, Anar Ali's novel vividly illuminates the injustices of displacement and the nuances of identity--of losing a home and coming home again.

Following the 2019 Global Pluralism Awards Ceremony, I had the opportunity to sit down with award winner Deborah Ahenkorah who was recognized for her commitment to using diversity as a tool to usher in peace and inclusiveness in her community and abroad.     Deborah Ahenkorah is a social entrepreneur and children's book publisher who co-founded Golden Baobab to empower African writers and illustrators to tell African children's stories. She advocates for more representative children's literature, helping readers access accurate portrayals of Africa produced by Africans. Golden Baobab offers the world's only prize celebrating African writers and illustrators. Ahenkorah also created African Bureau Stories, a children's publishing house. Read more about Deborah and Golden Baobab here:  https://award.pluralism.ca/2019-2/deborah-ahenkorah/

À la suite de la cérémonie de remise des Prix mondiaux du pluralisme de 2019, j'ai eu l'occasion de m'asseoir avec certaines des personnes qui ont été reconnues cette année pour leur engagement à utiliser la diversité comme outil pour instaurer la paix et l'inclusion dans leurs communautés et à l'étranger.  ​   Alice Barbe est cofondatrice et PDG de SINGA, un mouvement citoyen qui a débuté en France et qui s'étend maintenant dans toute l'Europe. Fondée en 2012, SINGA favorise la collaboration entre les réfugiés et leurs villes d'accueil en se concentrant sur les plans et les objectifs personnels, professionnels, culturels et entrepreneuriaux des réfugiés. SINGA est maintenant active dans 22 villes européennes et a travaillé avec plus de 5 000 réfugiés et 20 000 locaux. En savoir plus sur SINGA ici : https://award.pluralism.ca/laureats-2019/singa/?lang=fr.

Following the 2019 Global Pluralism Awards Ceremony, I had the opportunity to sit down with some of the individuals who were recognized this year for their commitment to using diversity as a tool to usher in peace and inclusiveness in their communities and abroad.   Alice Barbe is the co-founder and CEO of SINGA, a citizen movement that started in France but is now expanding across Europe. Founded in 2012, SINGA fosters collaboration between refugees and their host cities by focusing on refugee's personal, professional, cultural, and entrepreneurial plans and goals. SINGA is now active in 22 European cities and has worked with over 5,000 refugees and 20,000 locals. Read more about SINGA here: https://award.pluralism.ca/2019-2/singa/.

Following the 2019 Global Pluralism Awards Ceremony, I had the opportunity to sit down with some of the individuals who were recognized this year for their commitment to using diversity as a tool to usher in peace and inclusiveness in their communities and abroad.  Guided today by chief executive Waidehi Gokhale, Soliya employs the Exchange Portal, a custom videoconferencing platform, through which its global team brings together over 5,000 young adults each year in small, diverse groups as part of the Connect Program. Discussing current events with trained facilitators, participants from the United States, Canada, Europe, Middle East, North Africa, and South and Southeast Asia learn that people's identities are multi-dimensional. By voicing and listening to one another's stories, they gain greater understanding and build empathy. Read more about Waidehi and Soliya here: https://award.pluralism.ca/2019-2/soliya/.

In May 2017, His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan opened the Global Centre for Pluralism's international headquarters located in Ottawa, Ontario. I had the opportunity to interview the Centre's Secretary-General, Meredith Preston McGhie who explains why Canada was chosen as the home for the Global Centre. Meredith also recounts her experience working internationally on issues of peace, security, and pluralism and explains that we cannot truly embrace pluralism without first making a clear commitment to diversity - stressing that while diversity may be inherent in our society, that pluralism is a choice. 

Early in my life, I learned a valuable lesson from my father - the importance of creating harmony. To truly have harmony in our country and in our world, we have to treat black and white and all racialized people, equally. Then and only then, will we create harmony in our beautiful country of Canada and promote peace across our global communities. When I first became a Senator, the first thing my father, Sherali Bandali Jaffer, a former Member of Parliament in Uganda, told me, was that I must use my position of power and privilege to find ways to create harmony in Canada.

Today is Canada's National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism, a day to mourn, a day to extend our empathy to those who have lost loved ones, and a day for us to remember why we, as a nation, should remain resolute in opposing terrorism in all its forms. June 23, 2020 marks the 35th anniversary of the single largest mass murder in Canadian history — the bombing of Air India Flight 182. 35 years later, the effects can still be felt in many communities throughout Canada.

Can you imagine what it feels like to live in fear, or in persecution? Can you imagine what it means to hide with your little children under a fragile roof while war jets are flying over your home and bombing your street? Can you imagine being hunted by gangs who want to take your daughters to sell them, or who want to kill your father for leaving the gang? Most of us are privileged to never have had to live in fear, and it is so hard for many of us to even imagine it. On World Refugee Day let us remember that we continue to send the vulnerable, the weak, and the persecuted back to the US as we uphold the Safe Third Country Agreement.

Asian Heritage Month was observed differently this year with the COVID19 pandemic interrupting many celebrations, including several events normally held annually by the Senate and House of Commons. I had the opportunity to have a conversation with Ms. Queenie Choo, CEO of S.U.C.C.E.S.S., one of the largest non-profit social service organizations in British Columbia. S.U.C.C.E.S.S provides services to newcomers, helping them to integrate through language, employment, and community services.  Queenie and I discussed several topics including the achievements and contributions of Canadians of Asian descent, the adversity the continue to face during the COVID19 pandemic, and the hard work that she and S.U.C.C.E.S.S. are doing to change the status quo.

On March 11, 2020, a global pandemic was announced, and most people in the world were advised to start social distancing and self-isolating, specifically if they felt any symptoms. It was clear to us in Parliament that passing bills to assist Canadians was a function that was our first priority. On March 13th, 2020, the Senate and the House of Commons were summoned for an emergency sitting to deal with the global and pandemic and what should be done next. The House of Commons followed by the Senate, agreed to shut down Parliament.

In a country of 37 Million, spread over nearly 10 Million kilometers, two official languages and more than 200 languages spoken at home, Canada is known for its diversity and tolerance. Hosted by Canadian Senator Mobina Jaffer, Every Voice Counts is a unique voice in the Canadian Political landscape. Herself a refugee, Senator Jaffer and her guests will explore topics of marginalization and belonging, as well as informing Canadians about the role of the Senate in 2020.